


A Change in Fate

by ArinhelMelleide



Category: Pompeii (2014)
Genre: AU, Action & Romance, Canon-Typical Violence, Cassia buys Milo from the slave-owner, F/M, I'm Bad At Tagging, changes everything
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-12
Updated: 2018-02-01
Packaged: 2019-02-13 23:36:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12994983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArinhelMelleide/pseuds/ArinhelMelleide
Summary: 'Cassia was worried that he would die before she even learned his name. Suddenly a mad thought struck her. 'What if I bought him' As his owner, she would be able to keep him from fighting and dying in the arena, could keep him near her, get to know him.'I finally realized that I never posted this here, for I am an unobservant fool ^_^





	1. A Look as if in a Dream

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: So I uploaded this a long time ago on ff.net, but I realized that I never transferred it here. This was one of the better pieces I wrote a couple years ago, full of romance and drama set in the world of the movie Pompeii of which I own nothing (except a bluray/digital copy, but that's beside the point). I am merely taking artistic liberty with the characters the writers so lovingly supplied to us, (And then arbitrarily decided to kill off....)
> 
> Sorry for the wait, and enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited: 1/26/18

She was grateful to Ariadne for pulling her away from that awkward conversation, but Cassia wondered what had gotten into her friend. She was acting very strange as she pulled Cassia along.

"Look over there," Ariadne jerked her head to indicate the direction she meant.

Cassia looked up and her breath caught in her throat. There was the slave that had been finding his way into her thoughts since the day before, standing on a short pedestal, put on display as entertainment for the ladies. A few were fondling his arms, or caressing his chest. Heat rose on Cassia's cheeks as she thought to herself,

_What would he feel like under my fingers?_

The heat suffused her complexion even more when the trainer forced him to turn and his eyes caught hers.

Cassia quickly looked down at her feet, embarrassed by the thoughts running through her head; she barely heard what Ariadne was saying to her. She glanced back up at him through her lashes, a small smile formed when she saw he was still looking at her. Trying to keep her thoughts under control, Cassia kept looking at her feet, but the power of his gaze kept pulling hers back.

The Pompeiian girl was sad that he was here though, it confirmed what she had speculated when she first saw him, that he was a gladiator bound for the games on the morrow. Cassia was worried that he would die before she even learned his name.

Suddenly a mad thought struck her.

_What if I bought him?_

As his owner, she would be able to keep him from fighting and dying in the arena, could keep him near her, get to know him.

As soon as that thought hit her though, her father came and swept her away to the balcony, saying her presence had been requested by a guest. She kept eye contact with the slave for as long as possible, watching his expression fall a little as she walked out of his sight. Cassia was less than thrilled to discover the guest in question was Senator Corvus, the main reason she had left Rome. She left as soon as she had spent as much time with him as she could bear and was out of the room and making her way to where the gladiators were on display.

She walked up to the portly man, Graecus, master of the gladiators, picking up Ariadne again on the way. She kept asking what had happened, but Cassia waved her off, she did not want to think about the Senator at the moment.

"Master Graecus," he turned to face Cassia, a wan smile on his face.

"Lady Cassia, I do not normally have the pleasure. What can I do for you?" His voiced oozed grossly in her ears, and she suppressed a shudder.

"You own this man, correct?" She asked, pointing to the slave who was still staring at her, though now it was mostly in confusion.

"Yes, I d-" Cassia didn't even let him finish.

"Would you be willing to sell him to me?" The expression on his face was shock and confusion. She briefly glanced at the slave in question and saw that his gaze had hardened, and he was looking at her with disgust _._  She kept the hurt from her expression and channeled it into determination as she glared Graecus down.

"My lady, he is but a savage who has been nothing but a gladiator his whole life, I am told. What need would you have of him?" He was looking pompous now, seeming to have found a way out.

"I have seen the way he is with horses. My horse trainer, Felix, disappeared last night during one of the tremors, and my horse came back without him this morning. I wish for this man to look after my horse." Cassia looked at the slave again, a pleading look in her eyes to try and make him understand.

"I am afraid this man, known only as the Celt, is set to fight single combat against my champion, Atticus, to close the games tomorrow, my lady. I cannot spare him." Graecus bowed slightly, not wishing to meet Cassia's burning gaze.

"I can assure you that you will be well compensated for what this slave is worth, you will find someone to take his place in the arena, I am sure of it." Cassia could see that it would be difficult to persuade Graecus, he was unmoved. "Shall I fetch my father, then? I am sure he will listen to me, if you will not." She had turned and was about to tell Ariadne to fetch her father, when Graecus gently took hold of her arm.

"I am sure there is no need for that, Lady Cassia. Let's discuss a price shall we? I have heard you brought many goods back from Rome." He led Cassia away, and she could feel the burning eyes of the Celt on her back as she walked. She glanced over her shoulder and caught his gaze with hers. It was almost as if his eyes were speaking to her. The look in his eyes was one she could immediately understand.

_You're no different from the rest of them_.

* * *

Just as she had finished negotiating prices with Graecus, the ground began to shake beneath their feet. Cassia heard a woman scream, plates and pottery smashing; she looked back over to the Celt and he seemed more anxious and confused than afraid. He glanced at her, and she thought she saw concern, but his gaze was drawn to the window that he and the other gladiators were placed near. It was then that she heard the frantic whinnying and neighing of the horses.

Cassia ran to the window and saw the grooms struggling, trying to hold the stable doors closed. One of the horses must have broken its lead in its fright. She looked up at the Celt. He glared down at her, almost as if he was daring her to order him like all the other masters and trainers. She stared right back at him, not caring about the scrutinizing looks she was receiving. Another frantic horse cry distracted them from their staring match.

"You do not have to go, but I fear the poor beast will hurt itself otherwise." Cassia glanced back up at him as she said this. He nodded his head and she led the way to the stables. She ordered the grooms away, after they informed her that it was Veras who had broken loose, and let him into the stable alone, as he had requested. The noble girl waited until the whinnying had died down before she went in. What she saw stunned her for a brief moment.

The Celt was sitting atop and riding Veras as if he belonged there.

"How did you do that?" Wonder and amazement laced in her voice.

"I asked him." He said this as if it was the simplest task in the world to calm a frightened horse about to bolt, and then hop on its back like he had done it a hundred times.

"You could ride, before you were a gladiator?" Cassia asked.

"I could ride before I could walk. My people were horsemen." He replied as he slowed to a stop in front of her. Cassia pet and rubbed the beast's nose as she stared up at the man.

" _Were_  horsemen?" An inquisitive tone in her voice.

"My family were butchered by the Romans." A chill crept into his voice that hadn't quite been there earlier.

"I am so sorry." Cassia swallowed thickly around the emotion that statement brought upon her.

" _Sorry_? What would a Roman know of such things?" He asked, almost imperiously.

"I am  _not_  a Roman, I am a citizen of Pompeii." She replied determinedly.

"Then why do I see Rome's eagle everywhere I turn?" He leaned forward on the horse, his intense eyes focused on her.

"I am no part of that!" She nearly shouted as she said that. Cassia realized her behavior and quickly took hold of her temper, occupying herself with the horse in front of her. "After a year in Rome, I hoped never to see that eagle again. Yet here it is thrust into the soil outside my home. My father believes he can bargain with those animals." She shook her head slightly.

"My father," he spoke more gently now, and Cassia looked up, struck by his tone. "He would have killed every last one of them." The noble girl wasn't quite sure how to respond to that, so she settled for just gazing at his face. She was drawn into his eyes as he stared right back.

"Why did you buy me from him?"

"I do not like the idea of men killing each other for sport." She turned around and asked over her shoulder, "Are you unhappy with having been taken from the life of a gladiator?" Evading his real question and walking to sit on a bench. He followed her, getting off the horse.

"I haven't really known another life, but I wouldn't say I'm unhappy with the change. This is the first time in many years that I have truly felt like a Celt." He crouched on the ground in front of her and looked up at her face, Cassia turned away. "You never really answered my question."

"Like I said, I do not enjoy the games at the best of times, but I felt worse at the thought of seeing you fight in them tomorrow." She was struck by the thought that she didn't even know his name. She stood up and walked back to her horse, rubbing his nose affectinately. "I feel even worse yet, for I do not even know your name, except that you are called The Celt. Though, I am sure you have learned mine by now." Cassia looked down at her feet for a moment, but then glanced back up as she heard him walk up next to her.

"I have, my Lady Cassia." He bowed to her, but she could see the insincerity and mockery in the gesture. Though she knew any other woman in her position would feel offended, Cassia could feel the small smile that formed on her face. At the same time, she did not like to hear the honorific coming from his mouth. It made her think of Senator Corvus and all the other men that flung themselves at her.

The smile left her face at that thought, and he looked at her confused.

"I would feel more comfortable if you would call me Cassia, just Cassia." He looked puzzled, but nodded at her all the same. "What should I call you? Other than the Celt, of course." She took a step toward him, the distance between them closing quickly as he stepped towards her also.

"My name is Milo." He moved as if to brush her face and Cassia was prepared to step into his touch, when her father entered the yard. Cassia took a few quick steps back, flushing from the neck up. Milo just stood there for a moment, a little dumbstruck at what he had been about to do.

"Cassia, your presence is required to farewell the guests. It has been a trying evening for us all, please do not disappoint."

"Of course, Father, I shall be there in a moment." He nodded and left. She turned back to Milo, only to see that he had gone to take care of Veras, stabling and brushing him down for the night. Cassia watched him for a brief moment before walking over to him. She laid a hand on his shoulder and applied a light pressure, asking him to turn and face her.

"Yes, Lady Cassia?" She frowned at the honorific but let it go for now.

"I was wondering if you would care to follow me. I feel like I could use a little protection." Milo looked at her quizzically. "You see, my father invited almost every suitable bachelor in the city, who, over the course of this night, have either asked for my hand or asked if they could accompany me back to my bedchamber." His eyebrows rose at this. "Having a former gladiator as a bodyguard might be enough to deter them from asking anything else inappropriate while they are leaving."

"As you wish." She smiled at him, and he, briefly, returned the gesture, following her back into the villa.

* * *

Cassia stood next to her parents as they said farewell to their guests. Her mother had raised an eyebrow when she saw her daughter's 'shadow'. Cassia had waved her off whispering, "Later, Mother." She had then made one of those faces that every mother makes at their daughter at some point in their life when men are involved. Her father barely even noticed he was there at all. Milo appeared a little uncomfortable just standing there, a little ways behind Cassia, but not as much as when he was put on display earlier in the evening.

Several of the unmarried men who her father invited took one look at Milo, who glared at anyone who came too close to Cassia, only nodded briefly at Cassia and walked, as quickly as they could politely get away with, out of the villa. Cassia almost laughed out loud as she saw one of them men, who had been trying to get her to spend the night with him, gulp and not even nod, he just ran.

Unfortunately, the last guest to leave was Senator Corvus, the real reason that Cassia had asked Milo to act as her bodyguard for the evening. Cassia had hoped that having a gladiator standing next to her looking intimidating would deter him from speaking to her. Unfortunately, the senator was not so easily frightened. He didn't even seem to notice Milo at all, or her parents for that matter, as he walked straight up to Cassia, taking her hand. She felt Milo stiffen behind her, his breath coming in short bursts, as if he was having a hard time remaining calm. Proculus, the senator's second in command, noticed this and stared at him in confusion.

"I hope to see you tomorrow at the games, Lady Cassia. I believe I have a proposition you will not be able to refuse." His smile turned a little sinister as he bent to kiss her hand, and Cassia had to suppress a shudder of disgust.

"We will see about that, Senator Corvus." Cassia replied, ice in her tone. She wanted the Senator gone as soon as possible, and not just because he repulsed her. Cassia wanted to ask Milo what was causing him such distress. The Senator's sinister smile stayed in place as he spun on his heel and made for the gate.

"I hope to see those ledgers tomorrow, Severus." He didn't even turn his head to look at her father as he said this. Cassia finally turned her head to look at Milo. He shook with a barely contained rage, his eyes, filled with animosity, firmly fixed on the retreating backs of the Senator and Proculus. Cassia stayed outside, telling her parents she needed some fresh air after her encounter and that they should go inside. Her mother whispered in her ear as she walked by.

"I would like to hear the story behind this in the morning, Cassia." The girl nodded and then waited for her mother to fully enter the villa.

Cassia put a hand on Milo's arm, and he started, jumping out of reach and pulling his fists up. When he saw who she was, he instantly dropped them and looked guilty. He mumbled an apology and sat on one of the steps, keeping his head down, looking at his hands. She walked to stand in front of him. He stubbornly kept his gaze on his hands.

"We can talk now, or we can talk tomorrow, but I do want an answer for your actions." His head shot up, a betrayed look in his eyes. "I'm not upset," she assured quickly. "Just a little worried, and confused." A relieved expression passed over his face and he let his head fall once again. They remained there, in silence, for a few moments until Cassia decided he would need a little time.

"I think we should talk tomorrow after a night's rest, don't you think?" She hesitantly laid a hand on his shoulder. He looked back up at her, grasping her hand and pulling it from his shoulder.

"I can agree to that." Then he stood up and kissed her hand. Cassia flushed and shuddered again, but not out of disgust and she definitely did not suppress it. Milo smirked as he walked back to the stables, leaving Cassia sitting on the stairs alone in her thoughts. She remained seated and stared at her hand for a few moments trying to compose herself, before she went inside.

What neither Milo nor Cassia knew was that they had been watched, the entire time, by two separate parties with very different motivations.


	2. A Ride to Freedom?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter will take place during the time jump in the movie from the middle of the night at the villa/cells to noon the next day at the games. It will also be quite a bit of fluff with some drama mixed in near the end, so get ready.
> 
> I do not own the movie Pompeii or any of its rights. I am merely taking artistic liberty with the characters the writers so lovingly supplied to us. (And the killed off, leaving them for me to revive and save ^_^)
> 
> Edited: 1/30/18

Cassia woke just after dawn the next morning, despite how late the Vinalia feast had gone. There was a small smile on her face as she remembered what she had done the night before. Knowing that she had saved Milo from fighting in the games and that he cared for her as a person. He would not have acknowledged her in the ways that he had, if he did not truly care. At least that was the type of person Cassia thought he was.

Then she remembered everything else that had happened and the smile vanished. The Senator's words floated around in her head, and an icy dread filled her thinking about what he had implied as he was leaving.

"Any interesting dreams last night, Cassia? Perhaps involving a certain newly acquired bodyguard?" Ariadne asked as she walked in to help Cassia get ready for the morning. A cheeky smile dominated her expression until she saw Cassia's face, whereupon it dropped and she went about helping her friend in relative silence.

Cassia had told Ariadne everything that had happened when they were getting ready for bed. She had known what her childhood friend's reaction would be to Milo kissing her hand, a high, excited laugh followed by a short burst of giggling. She had gotten that over with first, and then she told her that the Senator had asked her to marry him. They talked for a little longer about everything else that had happened, particularly Milo's odd behavior upon seeing Senator Corvus, before going to bed.

The noble girl was on her way to the stables to have that talk with Milo, when Aurelia, Cassia's mother, intercepted her.

"Mother?! You are up early this morning?" Cassia exclaimed, trying to sidle around her.

"I could same the same about you, my dear." She gave her daughter a skeptical look. "Join me on the balcony, Cassia, I believe there is a matter we have to discuss?" Her mother raised an eyebrow, and walked back out to the balcony, Cassia following her reluctantly. Aurelia dismissed the servants that were tending to the bird-cages, and turned to face Cassia. "Now what happened last night?"

"It's a long story, Mother." A pleading note in her voice that seemed to say, 'Please, can we talk later?'

"I have the time and I like long stories." Cassia's mother was not going to let her get out of an explanation.

"Fine, but let us sit down. It will be difficult for me to talk about it, and some of it might be hard for you to hear. Let me start by telling you a little about when I was in Rome." Cassia proceeded to tell her mother about Senator Corvus's advances in Rome, the reason she came home early, meeting Milo on the road, and her mad impulse decision to buy him from Graecus. She did not mention the Senator's proposal of the previous night however, she did not want to discuss it with her mother. It was just too much for Cassia to think about.

"I brought him with me as a bodyguard because, it seemed like the best way to try to avoid awkward conversations and advances from the men Father invited. I had enough of that in Rome, and I did not wish it to continue here, in Pompeii." She hoped she had hidden her true reason well in the words she spoke. They were not untrue in any way, they were just not the whole truth.

"Alright, I think I understand most of it, but what I really want to know is what happened between this slave and the Senator? He seemed extremely agitated, and I don't think it was just because he couldn't scare him off like the rest of your suitors." Aurelia chuckled a little at the thought, but Cassia was too distressed from telling her story to laugh along with her mother.

"I agree with you, Mother, and I don't have an answer for you. I was on my way to ask Milo that same question when you stopped me."

"Alright," Aurelia closed her eyes and nodded. "You may go." Cassia stood up and started to walk away, but her mother's hand shot out and grabbed her arm. A strange look came over her mother's face, and Cassia wasn't sure what it meant.

"What is it, Mother?" She grasped her mother's hand.

"I will see you at the games this afternoon, will I not?"

"Of course, you will. I know how important they are to Father." She let go of her mother's hand, and walked to the entryway to the balcony. "I will see you this afternoon, Mother." Cassia smiled, waved and left.

* * *

"I thought you might have been here at dawn to see me, Cassia." She jumped, having just walked into the stall where he was working. Milo had not even looked up from cleaning the horse's hooves as he spoke.

"How did you know it was me?" She asked, her heart still beating much too fast, she could hear the tremor in her own voice. Milo stood up and looked at her. It seemed a tension left his shoulders as he gazed at her, and Cassia had to fight down the flush that was starting to creep up the back of her neck. She held his gaze just as long as he held hers, never having been one to back down.

"You do walk lightly on your feet, true enough, but you wear scented oils. That is very noticeable in a place like the stables." He paused and stepped closer to her. "No one else who would come through here at this time of day even own any scented oils, so who else could it have been but you, Cassia?" He had taken another step towards her as he spoke, Cassia had moved forward as well, and now they were mere inches apart. He raised a hand to her face, but hovered just above her skin.

His eyes searched hers, and she realized that he was seeking her consent. She slowly smiled and would have leaned into his palm, had not one of the grooms walked in. Upon seeing Cassia the man had wished her a good morning.

Milo closed his eyes and Cassia could have sworn she heard a growl and muttered cursing, as she stepped back and reciprocated the greeting. The groom went on his way, having just been fetching a broom, leaving the two of them in peace once more. Unfortunately for Cassia, Milo had turned back around and was now brushing Veras. Seeing the mood was thoroughly broken, Cassia turned to her other motive for coming to see Milo.

"I would have been here at dawn, or close to at least, but my mother pulled me aside almost as soon as I left my chambers." She walked up to him and laid her hand on his arm, slowing his brushing. "She wanted to know what happened last night, with Senator Corvus." Milo visibly tensed at the name, his arm completely still. "And so would, I, but not for the same reasons." She gently squeezed his arm, and he finally turned his head to face her. The look Cassia saw, nearly stopped her heart.

The rage on Milo's face was beyond measure. The pure, unadulterated hate in his eyes froze Cassia in place and was the only reason she had not let go of his arm and fallen a few steps back. She had never seen such anger in her life, and it scared her.

Milo obviously saw the fear on her face, because he pulled his gaze, and his arm, away from her, continuing to brush Veras.

"You should go back inside and prepare for the games, my lady." His voice entirely monotone, and the use of her title cut Cassia more deeply than she would have thought. It drove away her fear though, replacing it with sheer determination to never give in. A smile that could almost be described as sly, made its way on her face as she thought up the perfect plan to get Milo to open up to her.

"No,  _Milo_ ," she made a pointed use of his name. "I do not think I will. The games are not for hours, I have time for a short ride on Veras." Milo grunted in a bare acknowledgement, but Cassia had seen the slight pause in his work. "Though, you know, I'm not allowed out for a ride unless the horse trainer comes with me, just in case something happens to the horse or myself." He was looking at her again, and Cassia thought she saw a glimmer of hope in his eyes. He laid down the brush and turned to face her fully.

"You will be even safer now, with your horse trainer being your bodyguard and a former gladiator." Milo said catching onto her train of thought, a prideful smirk on his face.

"Exactly what I had been thinking," A smug smile now firmly plastered on the noble girl's face.

Her heart fluttered at how the smirk on Milo's face slowly transformed into an actual, genuine smile as they held each other's gaze. He had Veras saddled in a matter of minutes, but instead of helping Cassia onto her horse, he hopped up himself.

He took Veras around the stables a couple times before he stopped and walked the horse up to her slowly. The look on his face asking her a question, and Cassia was a little confused what, until he extended an arm down to her. She looked down at his arm, up to his face, back to his arm, and then looked questioningly into his eyes. To which he responded by raising his eyebrows at her in a clear dare.

_Well are you coming, or not?_

Cassia smiled and grabbed hold of his forearm, and she was then lifted up and deposited behind Milo as if she was light as a feather. She had not been passive in that moment, but he had made the task so much easier by taking her full weight. On one arm. Not even a twitch on his face or a grunt of real effort. The noble girl placed her hands on his shoulders, but felt that was not a secure enough place. She shifted her arms to wrap around his middle.

Ariadne had been right, Milo had an extremely impressive physique. She could feel the muscles under her arms, along with the feeling of smugness that seemed to be radiating off him as she tightened her arms around his stomach.

The Celt kicked Veras straight into a gallop, tearing out of the stable and the yard, scattering grooms and caretakers alike. Cassia also thought she saw the purple cloak of one of the Senator's men, but she was not sure; they had moved so quickly and it was soon forgotten in the exhilaration of the ride.

* * *

Racing up into the hills around the mountain felt like a dream to the pair on horseback. Felix, for fear of her safety, had never really let Cassia get anywhere near the speed that Milo had pushed Veras to. It was not that he was forcing the beast to do anything, it was more like he was letting him run as he wanted.

The whole time Cassia could feel every breath, hear each beat of Milo's heart through his back, where she had pressed the side of her face . She tightened her grip around his stomach every so often, and she could feel him chuckle in response. Sometimes, when Veras slowed down enough, he would free a hand and place it on top of her joined ones.

Cassia thought it must have been a very long time since he felt this much like a Celt, a true Celt. He had said he had felt so the night before, but it must be nothing compared to this ride. She could not imagine what his life must have been like for all those years, to have a piece of your life cut off, a piece that you yearned for. Then to suddenly have that freedom again, to feel whole.

The noble girl understood a small piece of that. Her year in Rome, she was always longing to be away, and then her return to Pompeii, her home, where she felt safe. This ride must have been freedom itself for one such as him.

Cassia knew, then, that this ride was never about just spending time with her. She knew that it was about getting away from everything else, of the possibility of freedom.

All of a sudden, Milo pulled Veras to a stop at the top of a hill. While Cassia admired the view of her beloved Pompeii from this vantage point, she could not help but feel something was wrong with him. A tension in his shoulders that had not been there during the ride. She could hear the sense of regret in the sigh he gave as he stared out over her city and then looking out along the trail they had been following.

"What is wrong?" She asked after a few minutes of sitting in silence.

"It does not matter if I belong to you now, if they catch you up here with me." Milo's voice trailed off as he contemplated what would happen to both of them.

"I will tell them it was my choice." Cassia wrapped her right arm around his chest, laying her hand over his heart. He twisted in the saddle so they were facing each other. Once again, it seemed to Cassia that Milo's eyes were speaking to her.

_You would do that for me?_

Their faces were so close that their noses were touching. She could feel his warm breath on her face, and Cassia wanted nothing more than to finally know what his lips would feel like on her own. There was the briefest moment of lips brushing together, but Veras shifted at that moment, having become restless so close to the mountain. Jostling the couple in such a way as to knock their foreheads together.

They each reeled back, or in Milo's case, forward, and clutched at their foreheads, groaning. Then Cassia started to laugh. It was real, side-splitting laughter, the kind that eventually devolves into silent shaking, interspersed with deep gasps for breath. She leaned her head on Milo's back, and tried to tighten her grip around his middle, as he started to laugh along with her.

The horse must have been startled by their noise or spooked by the mountain, because he started shifting again, but more agitated, with quick, jerking movements. It unsteadied the laughing pair, and they fell to the ground. Cassia had let out a short, startled shout as she fell, but after a moment, she started laughing again. She had landed on top of Milo's back, effectively knocking the wind out of him, causing him to groan, which Cassia thought extremely funny.

"If this is my reward for making sure you don't get hurt, then I don't think I will like being your bodyguard." He grumbled, sitting up, dislodging Cassia and sending her into another fit of giggles as she rolled onto the grass. She could see on his face that Milo was not really upset, that he was trying not to laugh too, which just made her laugh harder. He let a smile through his irritated façade, and shifted closer to Cassia, putting an arm around her shoulders to support her.

"I do not think I have laughed like that since I was a child, playing with Ariadne in the garden." She admitted as her laughter finally died down. Cassia leaned her head against his shoulder, settling herself into him, and gazing at the panorama that was her wonderful home.

"I can't remember if I have ever laughed like that." Milo spoke quietly, but Cassia could hear the sadness seep back into his voice. The last vestiges of her laughter left as she recalled why she had wanted to talk to him that morning. She also remembered something that Corvus had mentioned to her while she was in Rome.

"Senator Corvus is the man who ordered your family killed." It was said as a statement of fact, and she felt him stiffen beside her. His fingers, which had been making small circles on her arm, ceased their movement.

"In Rome, he is called 'The Hero of the Celtic Rebellion.' That is how he won his seat on the Senate." Milo shifted away from her, his arm dropping from her shoulders, and cleared his throat.

"They attacked our village in the night, killed everyone I loved, burned everything I knew. He slaughtered my mother and then ordered his second to execute the rest of my people. I lay on the ground pretending to be dead, I had been knocked over by his horse and my mother had told me to stay down. They piled all the bodies together, including me, except for my father and the elders. The Romans hung their corpses by their ankles from a tree, along with all our weapons." He took a deep breath and continued.

"I can still see them in my dreams, still hear the ring of metal, as the swords and axes knocked against each other in the wind." Cassia sat up and looked at Milo, and saw his tortured expression, his gaze on a point somewhere above the horizon.

"You did not have to tell me this, I did not ask. I thank you for telling me." She lifted a hand to his face, applying a gentle pressure to turn it towards her. Cassia closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against his. She took a deep breath.

"So, in return, I will tell you of my grievances with Senator Corvus. They do not run so deep as yours, but they were enough for me." Cassia told him all that she had told her mother and Ariadne of what the Senator had said and done in Rome and even there in Pompeii.

"Now, I have even more of a reason to hate him." Milo pulled her into an embrace, wrapped his arms around her shoulders and her knees, which she had pulled to her chest, and tucked her head under his chin. After a moment she spoke again.

"In a strange way, though, I am grateful to that man." Milo pulled her away to look into her eyes, his gaze questioning, almost accusing.

"What?" The noble girl shook her head slightly at the accusation now clear in his voice. She grasped his hand from her shoulder, and, bringing it up to her face, leaned into his palm.

"If not for his schemes for power and prestige, we would never have met. You would never have become a gladiator, who would one day be taken to Pompeii, and I would not have left Rome so early. I would never have seen that dark, brooding slave on the road, who had the kindness and strength to save that poor beast from a life of misery and pain. I would not have fo-" Milo cut her off, not wanting to hear her speak of never meeting him. He had decided to occupy her mouth with something other than words, something that they had both been waiting for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like it! Good? Bad? Somewhere in between? Let me know :)


	3. Is My World Ending?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter that you will be reading now, it is almost exactly the fantastic arena scene, with a few subtle changes, because both Cassia and Milo are different from their strict movie selves. I hope you enjoy reading this chapter!
> 
> I do not own the movie Pompeii or any of its rights. I am merely taking artistic liberty with the characters the writers so lovingly supplied to us.
> 
> Edited: 1/31/18

Cassia had actually seen a purple cloak on their way out. It had been Proculus. He had sent a search party from the garrison for her, as well as a note to Senator Corvus. The Senator, on hearing the report on how the noble girl and the slave were found, had threatened to kill Milo. Cassia had been able to persuade Senator Corvus to spare his life, but there was a punishment for 'kidnapping' her.

Milo had been taken back by Graecus. He was once more to become the gladiator, The Celt, and fight in the arena, the very fate that she thought him saved.

"What was I thinking, Ariadne?" Cassia asked, having divulged the whole tale onto her handmaiden.

"That he made you feel alive." She replied, making the final adjustments to Cassia's hair piece. The noble girl shook her head.

"He made me feel safe. A man like that does not deserve to die in the arena." She blinked a few times to clear away the beginnings of tears. Now was not the time to cry.

"There is nothing to be done now, he has caught the Senator's wrath." Ariadne, finished with her work, laid a hand on Cassia's shoulder to try and comfort her friend.

"Yes," she turned to face Ariadne, who saw determination in her eye, "and now the Senator has caught my wrath." She stood up and walked determinedly out of her chambers.

* * *

The sun beat down on the arena as Cassia and her parents made their way inside. Her father was pulled aside by Graecus, and Cassia nearly gave in to the impulse to slap the slaver. Aurelia took the opportunity to try and comfort her daughter, knowing how much the games were going to upset her, especially now that Milo would be fighting in them. Unfortunately, their conversation was cut short as the Senator was waiting for them in the Governor's box.

"Senator Corvus?" Aurelia spoke his name in confusion, but was completely ignored by the man in question.

"Lady Cassia!" He held out a hand for her and she stepped out in front of her mother. "Come and sit next to me, offer me the benefit of your wisdom." She accepted his hand and sat, barely concealing her rage when he continued to hold her hand.

"Do you enjoy the sports?" He asked leaning in towards her. She ripped her hand out of his, and adjusted her skirt before looking at the Senator and replying.

"Men killing each other for our amusement is not a sport. I thought my position clear when I rescued Milo from that fate." Then she turned away to watch the chariot racers in their last few laps of the opening event, so she did not see the ire that rose in the Senator's eyes at her calling the slave by name.

Her father finally arrived, kissing her mother on the head as he passed, he smiled at Cassia. As he turned away, however, she could see the frustrated expression on his face. All her attention was soon drawn to the arena floor, the chariots were gone and men were being brought out.

The one in the lead was Milo.

He stopped in his stride as he caught sight of her, and her heart started racing, but he was shoved forward by that awful trainer. The gladiators were brought to the center, and shackled to the pillar that had been set up for the event. Milo's eyes had barely left hers the entire time, and she was on the edge of her seat.

"For those of us about to die, we salute you!" When all the gladiators shouted the words and saluted, Milo just continued to stare straight at her, unwavering. He seemed to be mouthing something to her.

' _I promise, I will not die._ ' He repeated it a few times until he saw Cassia nod, with a small smile, showing she understood.

Anxiety gripped her, and stole her smile away, as the chorus announced what the games were in honor of. Cassia did not pay them much attention, until they mentioned 'The Celtic Rebellion.' Senator Corvus also sat up at that and looked at her father. Severus spoke of it as the Senator's finest hour. Cassia closed her eyes and shook with disgust at her father's simpering to the monster, and at the thought of Milo's family being murdered before his eyes.

She watched the Senator get up and announce the start of the games, but then her sole focus was on Milo.

He glanced at her one last time, before he turned to the large, dark-skinned man next to him and then up at the pillar he was shackled to. The noble girl watched her one-time bodyguard assess his situation as more men marched out of the tunnel and took up position across from him. They were gladiators dressed as roman legionaries with one man on a horse carrying Rome's eagle, obviously he was supposed to be Corvus.

It was to be seven against twenty-five, and the 'legionaries' were better armed and armored.

Cassia could barely stand it, she watched the 'Romans' move quickly forward and heft their spears. She breathed a small sigh of relief as Milo shouted for his men to put up their shields, and he was unharmed. Even from her seat she could clearly the determination on his face, as he readied himself for the charge. She winced as the two groups made impact, and two men were sent flying.

She lost sight of Milo for a moment, but then she heard him shout, and the 'legion' was pushed back. He was in the thick of the fighting, and Cassia still could not help but feel worried for his life, even though she could see that he was extremely good. The Senator stepped up to the rail for a better view and Cassia followed him.

"Is this what you call sport?" She demanded, briefly taking her eyes off the fight to glare at Corvus. Her gaze was dragged back after a moment, her worry and anxiety for Milo being much stronger than her rage at the Senator.

"No, Lady Cassia, this is not sport." He never took his eyes off the battling men. "This is politics." He walked back to his seat after another moment, but Cassia remained standing, transfixed by the scene of carnage before her.

She saw Milo start to climb the rocks, shouting for the other gladiators to follow him. She walked backwards to her seat, never taking her eyes away as she watched him climb to the highest rock, the other gladiators following suit.

Cassia stared as Milo jumped to avenge a fallen comrade, and flinched as he landed in a roll and was nearly stabbed. He came up swinging, going straight for the one who had killed his ally, slitting his throat. More of the 'Romans' climbed up – Milo was never fighting less than three enemies at once, but he was still winning.

She heard the Senator say something about this not being how he remembered it. Cassia could not care less how the Senator remembered his massacre of the Celts. All she wanted, in that moment at least, was for Milo to make it out of this fight alive.

Soon, he and the tall barbarian were the only 'Celts' left, Milo was still fighting well. He was dispatching his assailants with quick and efficient blows, but she was on the edge of her seat nonetheless. Her eyes tracking his every movement, flinching at every barely dodged blow.

"What exactly is that slave to you?" The Senator asked, looking between the noble girl next to him and the gladiator out on the field.

"Everything you are not, and more, Senator." Cassia did not even glance his way as she answered, she continued to watch the only man she ever cared about fight for his life. She gasped and muttered Milo's name under her breath as she flinched at another close dodge.

"Then you should be pleased to learn your father has granted me your hand in marriage." Cassia whipped her head around at mention of the word 'marriage'.

"What?!" She heard the outrage and shock in her mother's tone. Her father blustered, claiming he had made no such arrangement with the Senator. Corvus ignored them and went on.

"Because he knows if he does not, I will inform Titus that your father has called into question our  _new_  Emperor's ability to rule. Titus will have your entire family hung from the city walls." Cassia needed a moment to let all of that sink in. She looked down at her feet, but Corvus had one last thing to say.

"And if your slave somehow survives this, he will meet the same fate as you and your family."

It was like the wind had been knocked out of Cassia, she was finding it hard to breathe.

However, a moment later they were all distracted by the barbarian gladiator. He shouted for Milo, as he struck at the pillar, which appeared to be plaster molded around reeds. The Celt seemed to catch on and started acting as guard while the other man repeatedly struck the pillar with his axe. It collapsed under its own weight, crushing a few 'legionaries'.

The man on horseback was still riding around the edge of the field though, and Cassia knew Milo would never miss an opportunity to ride. He grabbed one of the many spears lodged into the rocks, and chucked it, with deadly precision, killing and throwing the man off the horse.

The Celt leapt to the ground, landing in a roll and ran for the horse. He mounted while it was still running, and he was a sight to behold. She knew she would never tire of watching him ride. He rode the horse around the edge of the arena, and pulling the chain that had shackled him taut, used it to knock over his remaining enemies.

It was a brilliant plan, until one of them decided to pull the chain back, yanking Milo off the horse, and knocking the wind out of him. She lost sight of him then, the rocks and the Senator blocking her view, but she heard the crowd cheer as the tall barbarian threw his battle axe.

"If I were to marry you," Cassia started, Corvus raised a brow. Aurelia spoke her name in warning, but she silenced her mother with a gesture, wishing to speak. " _If_  I marry you," she paused, suppressing a shudder at the thought. "Is my family spared?" She stared, unwavering, at Corvus, not one to ever back down. She almost looked away when she saw, out of the corner of her eye, Milo fighting the last of his opponents. Senator Corvus sat down, leering at her.

"Your family, will become my family. Under the protection of the emperor, and all the benefits that entails." She nodded slowly, hating herself for making this decision, but hating Corvus all the more for forcing her into it.

"Senator?!" Proculus called for his commander's attention. Cassia could hear the crowd chanting 'Pompeii', and then she saw Milo. He was standing on top of the rocks again, and in his hand he held the Roman eagle standard.

"I do not yield to the power of Rome! I spit on it!" The crowd continued to chant as he raised the standard and held it horizontally in his hands.

"He would not dare." The Senator spoke, never taking his eyes off the slave. Milo then brought the standard down across his leg, snapping it in half. He chucked the eagle to the ground and threw the remaining half like a spear, straight at the Senator. Unfortunately, Proculus acted quickly, swiping it out of the air with his sword.

Corvus shot forward to stand next to Proculus and demanded he get a detachment into the arena.

Cassia and Milo locked gazes for the first time since the games started, relief and anxiety washed through her under his gaze. She was so glad that he had survived, but she knew that Corvus had something cruel in mind. Both of their gazes were pulled away by the arriving detachment of real Roman legionaries. A line of men armed with bows formed up in front of Milo and his friend. The Senator stood and raised a closed fist, and the archers readied to fire.

Milo's eyes found hers again, and she could hear the crowd shouting 'Nay!' Cassia was not going to sit by and let Corvus execute him.

She ran forward and thrust her thumb up.

The crowd cheered, following her example, and the archers stood down, but the only reaction she cared about was Milo's. He took a heavy breath, and a smile fluttered across his face, before the reality of what she had done for him sunk in. Especially as the Senator bodily grabbed hold of her.

"What do you think you are doing?!" Corvus hissed at her. Aurelia stood to defend her daughter, but was threatened back into her seat by the Senator.

"If you kill him now, on the tip of a hundred Roman arrows, you make him a martyr to the mob. Is that what you want? To take home to your emperor a revolution?" The Senator seemed to consider this, looking around the amphitheater at the people of Pompeii still cheering for the slave who had broken the Eagle standard and openly flouted Rome. She continued her argument.

"And if you reverse this decision, how will it be spoken of in Rome? They will whisper it behind your back, that you have a wife who does no obey your will. Can your reputation bear such a weakness? I may become your wife, but you will never break me."

"But I will break you. And you will stay broken, to stand, sit or crawl as I decree. Do you understand me?" Corvus shook her with each sentence, his rage at her defiance nearly bursting him at the seams. Cassia just glared back at him, never showing any fear, she did not want to give him the satisfaction. He took a deep breath and called to Proculus to summon his guard to take her back to the villa, and she was unceremoniously shoved at the Lieutenant. He then shoved her at one of his guards.

Cassia wrestled with her captor, struggling to get away, telling him to let her go. Mad thoughts of dashing out onto the field entered her head, to be with her gladiator, to be safe in his arms even if it was just for a moment. Proculus's guard was manhandling her, throwing an arm around her middle and dragging her. She glanced back into the arena, back at Milo.

He looked ready to leap to her rescue. She dreaded – and hoped at the same as only someone in love could – that he would actually try. Thankfully – and regretfully – his friend grabbed hold of his arm just as Milo took a step forward, shaking his head and pointing. There were still a large number of Roman soldiers with spears and arrows aimed at him. Cassia shook her head as well, her eyes filling with tears as she ceased her struggles. She knew that he would try to rescue her, Roman legion be damned, and she did not want him to die then, not for her sake.

Cassia lost sight of Milo as the tremors started, the guard continuing to drag her away. No doubt he wanted to get out of the amphitheater as soon as possible, lest it fall on his head. She could still hear Corvus and his posturing. If she had to give one thing to the Senator, it was that he knew how to manipulate any situation to his advantage.

Cassia and her captor were joined by more of Proculus's men as they walked out of the arena, at least half a dozen soldiers, not including her initial captor, now surrounded her.

"Come on, girl, don't just stand there." The first guard tugged on her arm rather roughly, pulling her forward.

_Girl?!_  The indignation was clear on her face, as they dragged her on, rage etched into every feature. Then she realized there was no Milo to go berserk – and be killed – if she resisted. No longer any reason to go along with them meekly. They had managed to get her down the street before Cassia dug her heels into the ground.

"I am not some slave or servant girl! I am not just some merchant's daughter! I am the daughter of the governor of Pompeii! And even if I am disgusted by the very idea of it, I am going to be married to the Senator! You will not refer to me as 'girl', nor will you manhandle me in this manner!" She ripped her arm out of his grasp – sorely tempted to give him a good kick in the shins – and turned, running back into the amphitheater.

Back to Milo.

Cassia only managed a few steps before she was seized by two of the other guards, who dragged her backwards – kicking and screaming – along the road.

* * *

By the time they reached the villa, Cassia had resigned herself and was only being dragged forward by her arm again, but giving a tug every now and then. As soon as Ariadne saw how they were treating her, she ran forward, begging them to let Cassia go, calling her name. The soldiers just shoved her out of the way, knocking her to the ground.

"Leave her alone!" Cassia shouted. Her indignant cries in defense of her friend were cut short, however, as she was thrown into the storeroom. She stumbled and fell over a table, much to the soldiers' laughter as they locked her in.

She landed, rather ungracefully, face first, almost all her jewelry fell off and she was covered in dirt. She slammed her fists into the ground as the sound of the lock clicking. As the guards' laughter reached her ears, she felt tears of frustration leaking from the corners of her eyes. The Pompeiian girl wiped her eyes and stood up, starting to look for another way out of the storeroom.

Cassia looked in every nook and cranny of the large room over the half hour, but all she found was vegetables, and grains, and more vegetables. She was about to scream in frustration when the earth, once again, started to shake beneath her. She heard the guards and Ariadne shouting outside, the horses panicking as the rumbling grew louder. Running to the door in a vain hope that the quake might have broken the lock, Cassia tried the door again.

"Cassia! They took the key!" Ariadne shouted from the other side, causing her friend's heart to sink.

Cassia's heart sunk even further when she heard and saw the crack spreading along the wall next to her. She heard Ariadne scream, and made to hide under the table she had fallen over before, but she did not quite make it when the roof, which had caught fire somehow, fell, nearly crushing her. She crawled out, but the smoke and dust choked her and she collapsed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like it! Good? Bad? Somewhere in between? Let me know :)


	4. A Chance at Hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: All I shall say up here is that there will be a couple divergences from the plot of the movie, all for the benefit of our main characters survival and happiness.
> 
> I do not own the movie Pompeii or any of its rights. I am merely taking artistic liberty with the characters the writers so lovingly supplied to us (and then killed off...)
> 
> Edited: 1/31/18

Cassia was only vaguely aware of her surroundings. She kept slipping in and out of consciousness. The smoke and fire was bad enough, but her head felt like it was splitting in two. She barely heard the door crash open, but she did feel when someone turned her over and lifted her into their arms. The arms felt strong, safe, and familiar. She wanted to curl into their embrace, but all she could do was cough.

There was slight jostling as whoever was carrying her walked swiftly away from all the smoke, dodging bits of masonry as well. The noble girl felt herself being laid down gently. She could just barely open her eyes now, no more stinging smoke. She saw two of the only people she truly cared for in the world.

Ariadne, her oldest and closest friend, and Milo, the man she knew she was falling in love with. Her heart swelled at the sight of them and she managed a weak smile. Cassia tried to speak, to thank them for not abandoning her, but she ended up having a coughing fit. She had to shut her eyes briefly against the pain in her throat and head.

"She needs water." Milo told Ariadne, and soon the woman was out of Cassia's sight. He leaned over her now, ever so gently stroking up and down her face, his other hand supporting his weight on whatever he had laid her on. His touch was so gentle and caring, full of a reverence Cassia knew that she did not deserve. Yet, she had feared she would never feel it again when he had been taken back to the arena.

Cassia leaned into his caress, turning her head just enough to kiss his palm. He looked startled but glad, and she was happy to still see the man from that morning in his face.

Had it really only been that morning? It felt like a lifetime ago that Milo had taken her on a ride into the hills around the mountain.

He leaned back suddenly, taking his hand from her face and resting it on her raised knee. She was confused until she heard footsteps. Cassia was not sure if it was because he wanted to give her space to drink or if he was nervous about being seen to show affection.

"Here, Cassia, drink this." Ariadne knelt next to her and held a ladle to her lips. The water was the best the noble girl had ever tasted in her life. She coughed up some ash after the first sip, and Ariadne poured her more water. Cassia turned to look at her, never had she been so thankful for the woman she considered her sister.

"Thank you, Sis." She coughed a little more. "I don't know what I would do without you." She smiled, but coughed again. Milo looked pleadingly at Ariadne, who nodded in understanding and went to fetch more water.

Immediately he was leaning over her again, once more stroking her cheek with that reverence. She could smell and taste the blood that soaked his bracer, could see the cut on his arm still slowly oozing. She lifted a hand to it, gently touching the skin just below the wound. Milo took her hand and kissed her palm, holding it to his face, closing his eyes at the comfort for just a moment. He let go to brush her hair back from her face, but Cassia kept her hand in place.

"You came back for me." She stated, almost questioningly, her breathing still labored.

"Of course I did." He looked a little upset and confused. "Why would I not?"

"You could have been killed in the arena." He looked offended at that. "Or perished in the earthquake." He made a face that told her he knew she had a point.

"Or you could have escaped in the confusion and had your freedom." His eyes widened in shock and he opened his mouth to say something, but then the ground started to rumble. He looked up to where Ariadne was by the fountain.

"Run!" He shouted at the hand maiden, assisting Cassia to her feet as she tried to run for her best friend. Ariadne heeded Milo's command and was sprinting toward them. Milo put an arm around Cassia's midriff to stop her from running towards the falling cliff face.

Ariadne was just a step ahead of the falling rock and masonry. Cassia saw the shock and fear on her best friend's face as the stone she stepped on fell beneath her. She was merely an arm's length away, and Cassia reached out to her.

Their arms were just too short. Her fingers brushed Ariadne's. Hope blossomed and then swiftly died as they lost contact.

There was a blur of movement from the corner of her eye, and Cassia's heart leapt as Milo let go of her and grabbed Ariadne's arm. Both women screamed as Milo dropped down from the weight of Ariadne.

"Hold on to my arm with both hands! As tight as you can!" He shouted over the crashing of the rocks hitting water. "I'm pulling you up!" Then he turned his head to the side to shout at Cassia to wrap her arms around his middle and pull him back.

"I'm slipping!" Ariadne screamed, yelping as her hand slipped down Milo's blood-slicked bracer. He grunted as he braced his feet and heaved. Cassia pulled him backwards, feeling like she was barely doing anything. She had her eyes closed and could not see what was happening, but then Milo gave one last heave and they all fell in a heap.

Relief did not last long as the ground just beneath them started to shake. They scrambled backwards as the last piece of ground fell away into the sea. Milo stood first, and assisted both women. Ariadne pulled them both into a tight embrace, which Cassia immediately returned, and Milo much more cautiously.

Ariadne was sobbing, unable to speak, but the gratitude in her eyes was clear. The noble girl started to thank him for saving her friend, but her cut her off.

"Thanks can wait, Cassia." He pulled back and cupped her face, wiping away tears she did not even remember shedding. "Right now we need to get to the harbor." He took her hand and pulled her through the crumbling courtyard. Ariadne quickly following behind and grabbing Cassia's other hand.

* * *

The trio made it back into the city proper and were running down the street when the mountain exploded once more. Rocks started hurtling from the sky, citizens running for cover were struck down, and one nearly hit Ariadne. Cassia quickly pulled her out of the way. Her friend stumbled but looked at Cassia with gratitude, even as Milo dragged them to the nearest doorway.

Furiously pulling at an immovable door handle, Milo cursed under his breath and started trying to kick the door open. It must have been barred, for it did not budge, just rattled, even with Milo's full weight thrown at it. Giving up, he huddled Cassia close to his chest and watched fire and stone rain death upon the city. Cassia could hear roof tiles shattering and she prayed that the small bit of roof above their heads would hold. She squeezed Ariadne's hand for comfort, reassuring herself that her best friend was still there.

"Is this the end of the world?" The question was out before Cassia even realized she had opened her mouth. Milo kissed the top of her head, and held her tighter, quietly shaking his own. Perhaps he was thinking that if he remained silent, the mountain would not know where they were hiding.

"Why would the gods let this happen?" She lifted her head from his chest to look him in the face as she asked this. Milo appeared thoughtful for a moment, gazing out at the destruction almost as if he was not seeing it.

"To give us a chance." A tender expression came over his face as he said this. It made Cassia's insides turn to hot jelly. He leaned down, as if to kiss her, the noble closed her eyes and tilted her head.

"Look, its stopping!" Ariadne cried, clearly not having noticed the change in mood. Cassia might have been upset, if the sun had not come out just at that moment.

It illuminated the scene of catastrophe and destruction. It was startling, and somehow beautiful.

Rays of golden light coming out from the clouds looking almost divine. Milo stepped forward, still holding onto her, appearing to be equally awed. There was a look on his face that Cassia could not even begin to describe. I6t was almost a softening of his whole being. She could see other people peeking out from doorways down the street, and Cassia felt hope swell in her breast as she looked on what used to be her home.

It did not last long however, as the sky, once more, became choked with ash, hiding the sun's rays. There was another small quake and large flaming rocks crashed down from the mountain. It was almost as if the gods were toying with them – giving them a glimmer of hope, only to take it away.

One landed behind the trio, startling them out of their reverie. Milo instantly started pulling both women along behind him, running as fast as the debris filled street would allow him.

It was a strange experience for Cassia, for here and there were the littered remains of buildings and statues that she had known all her life. She could almost see, overlaying the destruction, a vision of what the city had been merely an hour before. A place of life and joy, celebrating the Feast of Vinalia. The noble girl felt something wet on her cheeks, but did not have a hand free to discover if they were tears she shed for the memory of her beloved home.

"Milo!" The deep shout barely registered to Cassia, but when Milo let go of her hand she looked up in a panic.

"Atticus, it is good to see you my friend!" The Celt embraced the tall, dark man with great joy, which made Cassia's heart go out to the man. To be considered a friend by Milo was no easy task.

"You as well, and I see you managed to find your lady after all. I am glad for you." Atticus clapped Milo on the back, a broad smile on his face.

"Yes, but now is not the time for talk. We must get to the harbor." Milo stepped back, and started to run past his friend, but Atticus grabbed hold of his arm.

"The harbor is gone. We need to find another way to escape this cloud of death."

"The Sarnus gate," Cassia said suddenly. "The road follows the river and heads northeast, that should get us out of the path of the mountain's ire."

"How would you know that, my lady?" Atticus asks, skepticism in his voice.

"Because the winds at this time of year usually blow to the south and a little eastward. That's why I think we should be relatively safe, if we can get out of the city fast enough."

"We'll never make it, not if we're going on foot!" Ariadne finally spoke up, sounding terrified and defeated.

"We'll need horses, and I know where we can get them." Milo said, pointing to the arena, down the mostly clear thoroughfare that lead to their freedom.

"I hope you are right, my lady, because if you are not-"

"We're going to die either way if we just keep standing here, let's go!" Cassia shouted as she started to drag Milo along. He looked shocked, but proud at the same time; Atticus just looked incredibly impressed.

* * *

She did not think she would be sad at seeing the destruction of the arena, having hated the damned thing her whole life, but Cassia felt a deep sense of melancholy at the sight. One more piece of her home destroyed forever. They made it halfway across the broken field when she caught sight of the remains of the Governor's box. And the two bodies that were half-buried under the ash and rubble.

Her father and mother.

She moved towards them, wishing to just see them one last time, but Milo's hand was on her shoulder, turning her to face away from her parent's corpses. The other two kept walking, letting the couple have their moment.

"It is thanks to your mother that I found you at all." He said it almost off-handedly, looking past her. "We can all go pay our respects once we've got the horses, but we must prioritize our escape from the mountain's wrath."

"You are right, of course. But it does sadden me, to see them lying there uncared for." She tried a different tactic than outright begging. Allowing her emotions to reign her for just a moment, she let tears roll down her cheeks. "I could go alone, and you and the others can fetch the horses?"

"We will have time to mourn them, once we  _all_  have fetched and saddled the horses. I'm not letting you out of my sight, Cassia. Never again." He reached up to wipe the tears from her face, and leant his forehead on hers. He closed his eyes, and she could see every line of worry and regret on his face.

"Neither shall I let you out of mine, dear Milo." She put both her hands on his face and pulled back slightly to kiss his brow. Taking his hand from her face, she tugged him along to catch the others who had gone down below the arena.

"Atticus?" Milo called out when the others were not immediately visible. Large hands covered both their mouths. Cassia almost screamed, but Atticus drew them both back against him, whispering for them to be silent. It was then she noticed the sounds of voices and clanging further down the hall.

"Get the chariot for the Senator!" A loud voice rang down the halls.

"That bastard is still alive?" Cassia did not like the tone of Milo's voice as he said this. He almost sounded excited, and there was a fire in his eyes. It scared her, seeing this part of Milo, she knew that so much of his life had been governed by violence. He wanted vengeance for his people, for that life of violence that he was forced into.

The noble girl called his name to try and get his attention, but it was like he was in a different world from the rest of them. Eventually she put a hand to his chin, gently turning his face towards her. He looked almost startled to see her, then shame briefly crossed his face.

"Milo, I know there is nothing you want more in this life, than to kill that man and avenge your people. I would love nothing more than to help you." The words came easier than she thought they would, committing to killing a man. "But escaping this city has to be our priority, you said so yourself only moments ago."

The Celt looked conflicted. His life and the lives of the only people he's cared about since his family was killed, or vengeance on the man who had massacred his family.

"I can't make any promises not to attack him, Cassia, especially if he gets in the way of our escape. But, I promise that I will do everything in my power to make sure you, and the others, are safely away if it comes to that." He put his hands on her shoulders. Cassia stepped forward, letting her own hand slip to his chest.

"No, you-"

"I would stay and fight alongside you, my friend, whilst the women escape to safety." Atticus cut off Cassia's outburst.

"Would it not be for the best, Cassia?" Ariadne, her best friend who had almost fallen to her death already this day, pleads with her. Cassia almost relented, knowing that her friends were just worrying for her safety. But it felt too much like giving up to her. So she hardened her gaze and turned to look Milo in the eye.

"If you think I'm going to run and leave you behind, when you would not do the same for me, then you are a fool, Milo."

He opened his mouth to protest, but he must have seen the look in her eye because he stopped. He closed his mouth, and one corner lifted in a half-smile, an impressed look crossing his face. She smiled back, but their moment was interrupted by more shouts from the Roman soldiers, and the whinnying of horses in distress.

"They have no idea how to properly treat horses." Milo muttered under his breath as they all turned toward the noise and started running.

They reached the entrance just as the last of the Roman soldiers walked out onto the field, and they sidled quietly to the sides of the entryway. Cassia saw Milo survey the scene and nod his head, like he had come up with a plan.

"You two," he pointed at herself and Ariadne, "will run straight for the horses and start undoing the harnesses. Atticus and I will distract the soldiers. Do not stop what you are doing, no matter what you hear, do you understand me?" She nodded reluctantly.

"But you must promise me you will not do anything foolish. Do not go after the Senator unless he's coming for one of us and you have no other choice." He made a face and opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off. "Promise me this now, and I will promise to do as you ask."

He looked torn, once again, but Cassia was determined not to give in. He finally nodded, after a long moment of staring into each other's eyes.

"I promise you, Cassia." She smiled up at him. Milo's returning smile was a little strained, but she chose to ignore that. He turned to Atticus, nodded and got ready to run out. She caught his shoulder just as he was about to spring, dragging him toward her for a heated kiss. His arm automatically came up around her waist, to haul her in closer.

Cassia pulled away and stared into his eyes. "Good luck, and don't you dare die."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like it! Good? Bad? Somewhere in between? Let me know :)


	5. The Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Now, I originally started writing this piece in the summer of 2014, you know when the movie came out. At the time, I thought I would be able to finish it before Christmas (HAH!). But then life happened, and writing block happened, and it has taken me three and a half years to write this fifth chapter that I believed would be the end. However, I have discovered that it wants an epilogue, which (Powers that Be willing) won't take me more than a couple weeks to write and edit. It's going to be significantly shorter than the rest.
> 
> Anyway, moving on to the chapter. The title is pretty self-explanatory, EVERYBODY LIVES! Everybody we like at any rate.
> 
> I do not own the movie Pompeii or any of its rights. I am merely taking artistic liberty with the characters the writers so lovingly supplied to us (and then killed off...)
> 
> Edited: 1/31/18

Milo and Atticus charged out from the portico, shouting and drawing as much attention to themselves as they could.

Milo ducked under a thrust from a lance, grabbing onto it with his left hand as he ran. Pulling, the Celt dragged the legionary forward into a right hook across his face. Atticus, much more agile than a man of his size should be, dodged around and swept the feet out from the two legionaries attacking him. He snagged one sword – tossing the other to Milo, who caught it one-handed – and a shield for himself. Both former gladiators stood with their new weapons for a moment, before charging at the remaining three legionaries.

Cassia watched on, terrified, but determined to do her part. When all the Senator's men were distracted by the two gladiators, she pulled on Ariadne's arm. They too sprinted across the broken field, heading straight for the four horses hitched to the chariot. One of the legionaries at least had the forethought to tie them down to stop them from bolting in fear. Cassia nearly barreled into the first horse in her haste, but she immediately set to undoing the harness.

She wanted to turn and watch how Milo and Atticus were faring, but she knew that would only increase her terror. Her fear and haste were already making her hands shake, and she was having trouble with the fastenings. If she had dared, she might have noticed that the Senator and his second were not amongst the fighters.

"As soon as he is unfastened, get on the horse and go, Ariadne!" Cassia hissed to her friend.

"I am not leaving without you, Cassia!" she protested.

"You've barely ridden a horse in your life, let alone bareback. You'll need the head start." She glanced up at Ariadne and softened her voice. "Don't worry, Sis. We'll catch up to you before long." She undid the last knot and came around the horse, directing her friend to get on. Ariadne had tears streaming down her face, making trails in the ash and dust, but she gripped the horse's bridle tightly. Cassia felt tears on her own face, but slapped the horse anyway sending it galloping out of the stadium.

The moment the horse was past her, she caught sight of Senator Corvus and his lieutenant, Proculus, coming at her from behind the chariot.

"Milo!" She managed to turn and shriek before an arm came around her waist, trapping her arms, and a hand wrapped around her throat. Cassia struggled, trying to elbow her captor in the stomach, or step on their feet. She screamed again, though it came out as a choking gasp as whoever held her simply tightened their hold on her neck.

"Be still!" She smelled Senator Corvus's foul breath as he hissed into her ear.

Blackness started to come in at the edge of her vision, and the noble girl tried to grasp at the hand at her neck, only for her hands to scrabble uselessly at her own collar bone. Even through the haze, she could see Milo as he ran towards them. The mix of rage and terror on his face was an astounding sight to behold as he saw the man he despised holding the woman he loved – at least she hoped.

Corvus shouted for Proculus, who ran to intercept the Celt, sword drawn. The lieutenant was bodily tackled to the ground by Atticus before he could reach his target. The sword flew out of his hand and slid as it landed to fall into one of the crags. The two men struggled in the dirt, grappling, but Cassia could no longer see them.

"Stay back, Celt!" The senator's grip tightened again, and Milo stumbled to a stop. Cassia's mouth opened and closed in a feeble attempt to breathe.

"Let her go!" She could barely hear Milo over the roaring in her ears, but the desperation was clear. Her world had narrowed to two pinpricks of light, Cassia could no longer control her hands and they fell limply to her sides. "You're killing her!"

The senator dropped her to the ground and Cassia could finally take in a gasping breath of air as she lay in the dirt. She coughed, holding a hand to her throat, knowing livid bruises would be there tomorrow. If she lived to see tomorrow…

She could see Atticus and Proculus were truly fighting now. The lieutenant had picked up one of the legionaries' swords, but Atticus had lost his shield. The ring of swords clashing filled the arena; Proculus attacking relentlessly and Atticus standing as a steadfast barrier.

A foot came down on her back, pushing out what little breath she had regained. Her arms and legs flailed, trying to lift herself up, but Corvus's heel just pressed harder. She would have struggled more, if only she could breathe!

"Cassia!" She shifted her head enough to watch Milo make an abortive step towards her, stopping when Corvus held his sword to her throat.

"I would prefer to keep her alive, Slave. She is the sole reason I came to this traitorous, backwater of a city. However," he ground his heel further into her spine, causing Cassia to cry out, "I will not hesitate to kill her, if that is what it takes to come out of this with  _my_  life. I doubt that you are willing to do the same." She could  _hear_  the malevolent smile in Corvus's voice.

"If she dies, then there will be nothing stopping me from killing you. Even if I should die in the attempt, I am taking you with me." Oh, how Cassia wished he would take the opportunity to run, and save himself! But she knew Milo would not abandon her, had already proven that twice over. But she looked up at him, and begged him with her eyes to just leave and live to fight another day.

Their eyes locked, and his said so much—too much for her to comprehend all of it in that moment. She could see that he would come to truly love her, given time; that was enough. Closing her eyes, the noble girl came to a decision. Upon opening them, she mouthed three words to Milo.

_Keep your promise._

He was confused for a moment, but his expression cleared and took a determined edge. Cassia smiled. He had understood.

Taking a step, he was halted again when Cassia felt the sharp pain of the sword dig into her throat, a trickle of blood rolling down her neck. She watched Milo calculate if he could reach them before the Senator slit her throat. Their attention was suddenly drawn by a loud crash.

Atticus and Proculus had crashed into a wheel of the chariot, smashing it to pieces under their combined force and rendering the chariot useless. The horses whinnied and bucked against there restraints at the commotion. The darker man came back up with splinters lodged in his arms and legs, some quite large, but none life threatening. Proculus had fewer lodged in his person, however, a large piece had pierced him in the gap between chest plate and right shoulder guard. That arm was now hanging limp and unable to even grip a sword.

Cassia saw no more of that fight, as Milo had taken advantage of the distraction to tackle the Senator off her. She rolled over and took a deep, wheezing breath, coughing, but never more grateful for a lungful of air.

As soon as she could manage, the noble girl pushed herself to stand and made her way back to the horses. Glancing back at Milo and Corvus she froze, wincing with every blow that her Celt barely dodged. He was already worn out from his day of fighting and running, and the Senator had been a decent soldier in his time.

"Move, Cassia! Get going!" Milo shouted at her, startling her from her reverie.

She could not keep watching, she had to keep moving to the horses. Cassia turned and ran. Atticus must have seen her, for he re-directed his attacks on Proculus to drive him away from the chariot. The lieutenant was struggling to raise his sword to block the larger man's strikes, blood was pouring down his right-side, and he appeared to be swaying on his feet.

Reaching the horses, Cassia quickly started to undo the harness of the nearest, her fingers fumbling even more than before. Nearly finished she left the last two fastenings tied, to keep the horse from bolting. Starting on the second horse, she heard a man cry out in agony, only to be cut off. She turned swiftly to look for Milo, fearing the worst, but only saw Atticus running towards her. He threw down his sword, pulling the worst of the splinters out as he reached her.

"He did not die the equal of a gladiator." He said, getting to work on the third horse. She wanted to scream at him to go help Milo, but knew, even as she thought it, that Milo would have demanded Atticus help her. That it was his fight, his vengeance that needed to be dealt. The large man worked much quicker than she did, and had the last horse out of its harness and wheeling it to face the gate.

"Come, get up on the horse!" He shouted over the roar of crashing debris from the mountain. Cassia looked up from the last buckle to see him holding his hand out to her.

"No, you go! Please! Ariadne is going to need help controlling her horse and I'm not strong enough to do it!"

"I cannot, my lady! Milo would never forgive me if I left you. Nor could I forgive myself. Now, please?"

"No! It's my fight almost as much as it is his, and I will see it through! I cannot abandon him now!" He must have seen there was no persuading her otherwise, for he nodded.

"Thank you. Now, there is a stream the feeds the river that runs out of a cave spring, Ariadne knows where it is. It should provide enough shelter from the mountain's wrath. Go!" She shouted at him to get moving. He nodded again, and reluctantly mounted the horse.

Cassia turned her attention to the two remaining fighters. They had circled around, and were closer to the back of the chariot now. Corvus swung his sword in a wide, diagonal arc for Milo's neck, but the Celt caught the other man's wrist in time. The Senator, pulled a dagger out of its sheath at his waist and made a swipe for his throat. Milo blocked it with his sword, but it was his injured arm, and Corvus bore down on him.

Cassia could not watch, and turned away.

A glint of metal caught her gaze and she looked down into the belly of the chariot. There was a pair of manacles bolted to the floor. Of course! It was used by gladiators who could not be allowed such freedom otherwise. An idea struck her.

"Milo!" She shouted to get his attention as she dove for the chains. They made eye contact for a brief moment of understanding. With a shout, he shoved the dagger away from his throat, twisting the blades in such a way to disarm the Senator at the same time. The dagger flew up into the air, and Milo shoved him back, catching the blade. Corvus swung wildly, enraged, Milo's sword meeting his with a ring of steel as the Celt drove the dagger blade up through the Senator's wrist.

Pulling his blades free as the older man cried out in pain, but – to his credit – not dropping his sword. He switched hands and tried to attack, but Milo shoved him back, straight into the chariot and Cassia's waiting shackle.

She quickly clamped it around the Senator's uninjured wrist, moving out of his reach as he cursed and swung his sword at her. Milo kicked the sword away, and pointed his own at Corvus's throat, stilling all attempts at movement.

"Who are you to do this to me!? I am Senator Quintus Attius Corvus!" Than man in question shouted incredulously, spittle flying and mixing with the black ash raining down.

"And what is that worth, Senator Quintus Attius Corvus?" The senator looked almost puzzled by the question, having never doubted that his status was worthy above all save the emperor. Cassia came to stand at his side, clutching to him.

"You killed my family, slaughtered my people, threatened the life of the only person I have cared about since," He paused and they looked up as the mountain exploded again. "And make no mistake, my gods are coming for you." A smug smile lit his face, as they both looked back down at the once lofty man. Killing him on the point of a sword would be a merciful death compared the fiery hell that was coming for him. The mountain would take him, as it took so many others that day.

Cassia hoped it would be agonizing.

They turned away, Milo clutching Cassia's hand tightly as they sprinted around to the horses. He helped her up to one and mounted the other. Twisting back, he cut the last restraints and they both kicked their horses into motion.

* * *

The ride out of the city was short, but harrowing. They were riding chariot horses, bareback, through streets strewn with rubble, as burning debris rained down from the mountain, nearly killing each of them at least three times. So much of the city was destroyed, that they had to backtrack to the west to find a clear street to reach the main thoroughfare.

They finally made it to the Sarnus gate, and the road was relatively clear in front of them, everyone having gone south or to the harbor, trying to get as far from mountain as possible.

Milo and Cassia kicked their horses into a gallop as they hit the road, Cassia in the lead. The black ash was making it difficult to see where the road was, but the further they got from the city, the less ash was falling. They passed the first stream, where Milo had called out to her, but she had kept going, saying it was the next one.

Hope started to rise in her chest, that the worst was over. That the city would survive, and she would be able to go back and help rebuild her home.

That's when they heard the mountain crack, as it exploded above them. The horses reared in fear, nearly throwing Cassia, but she maintained her grip on its mane. They got the horses running again, but looked up to their left to see a cloud of fiery death roll down the mountain.

"How much further, Cassia?!" Milo shouted over the roar of the wind, and fire and pounding hooves.

"Not far at all! Look! There's the stream!" She pointed to the left of the road, where there was a small gully that lead back to a cave. Standing at the entrance were Atticus and Ariadne, shouting and waving for them.

Leaping off the horses, the duo sent them on down the road; they would be faster on their own and would not be able to navigate the gully fast enough. Milo grabbed Cassia's hand as they sprinted along the stream, half-pulling her along as she fumbled, and what remained of her dress got caught in brambles.

"Hurry!" They could hear Atticus shouting, as he looked past them at the cloud of death fast approaching. He held a hand out for Cassia as they reach the lip up into the cave, Milo heaving her up it. She ran straight to Ariadne, throwing her arms around her foster sister.

"I feared I would never see you again, Sis." Cassia hugged her tighter.

"I had almost given up hope on you two getting out in time." Ariadne squeezed her back.

They turned on hearing both men grunting with effort. The former gladiators were pushing a large boulder in front of the cave mouth. There were a couple feet of space between it and the cave wall, and it was wide enough to cover the small open space. Milo had braced his back against the stone and a foot against the wall, while Atticus was shoving against it with his shoulder. The girls ran to help, offering their own, meager strength to the endeavor. Cassia and Ariadne mirrored Milo's position, putting both of their feet to the wall, and shoving with every ounce of strength left in their bodies.

With a final cry of effort, the boulder rolled to cover the entrance and they were plunged into near total darkness. There was a small gap on the far side of the rock that let in some light and air. It could also let in the burning ash, so they huddled behind the boulder for safety.

Milo pulled Cassia against his chest – into his lap – and rested his head on top of hers. His left arm hugged the noble girl tightly into his chest, and it was the same as when they were taking shelter in the doorway. Pressing his lips against her forehead, and then burying his nose into her hair. He had bent his right leg for Cassia to lean back against, and to support his own arm as he and Atticus clasped each other's wrists.

Cassia immediately felt safer with his arms around her. Her head rested just above his heart, and it was oddly comforting to hear his pounding just as hard as hers. With her right hand, she clutched at the collar of Milo's cuirass, and with the other she reached under his arm and held onto both of Ariadne's. Her legs were tangled up with the other girl's, reminding her of times when they were younger and would sleep in the same bed during bad storms to ward off the fear.

Atticus had put an arm over Ariadne – her head resting against his bicep – so his hand was on Milo's shoulder. He had both his legs bent to fit in the small space, with Ariadne practically in his lap. His grip on Milo's shoulder and wrist was almost white-knuckled in his desperation to keep them all safe.

Ariadne clutched to Cassia's hand with all that she had, her eyes squeezed shut and her lips moving in silent prayer to all the gods. She prayed for them to make it out safely, and whole.

All four of them held their breath, and each other, as they waited for the cloud of fiery death to pass over them.

They all heard the roar, and felt the temperature rise, as a stream of ash blew through the gap. It did not seem as if it flowed over the cave, but near enough to be dangerous. The four of them remained seated, waiting for the roar to die down and the hope of safety to emerge.

Cassia shifted to press her forehead against Milo's neck, her fingers moving to run along his necklace, and the skin there. He stiffened for a moment at the contact, but then relaxed into her touch. She felt him shiver as she brushed her thumb over his collarbone, and he tightened his grip on her side. His head tilted, and Cassia felt Milo's lips on her own neck, just behind her ear, and she shivered in turn.

After a quarter hour, Cassia sat up and started to speak, but Milo put a finger to her lips. Again, she felt like he thought the mountain would not find them if they stayed quiet. She brushed his hand away.

"I think it missed us." Cassia sat up straighter in his lap, a gleam of hope in her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like it! Good? Bad? Somewhere in between? Let me know :)


	6. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I Lied. It's almost the same length...and it took four to five weeks... Then is sat, unedited for almost a week... But hey, it was less than a year, so I'll take it ;P
> 
> Without further ado (besides the disclaimer), I give the final installment in A Change in Fate.
> 
> I do not own the movie Pompeii or any of its rights. I am merely taking artistic liberty with the characters the writers so lovingly supplied to us (and then killed off...)

Atticus, Milo, Cassia and Ariadne stumbled into the outskirts of the city of Nuceria late the next morning.

It had been a hard walk, slogging through the ash accumulating on the ground, and trying not to breathe in what was still falling from the sky. It was getting easier as they got further away from the mountain, until at last Cassia dared to look up. She got Milo's attention by latching onto his un-injured arm, and told him to look up as well. He saw stars through gaps in the ash cloud, and it was one of the most beautiful sights he had seen. Second only to the moment he caught Cassia's eye across the crowded room the night before.

The town had clearly been hit by the initial earthquake, but the damage was not too severe. All the buildings were still standing, though the streets were littered with roof tiles, broken pottery, and a layer of volcanic ash. People were sweeping the debris and shoring up cracked walls, at first sight just going about their work. Upon a closer look, they would all glance nervously over at the mountain in the distance, where a plume of ash and smoke and fire still rose.

"Did you make it here from nearer the mountain?" A voice called out from their right. Milo turned to see a kindly-looking woman standing in the doorway of what appeared to be an inn.

"Yes, from Pompeii, Mistress Lucilla." Cassia responded. "I stayed here on my way back from Rome, not two days ago. I'm the Governor's daughter…" Cassia trailed off, and then her eyes went wide with shock.

Milo, recognizing the look from having gone through the same trauma, pulled her against him as her knees started to give out. Holding her upright with an arm around her shoulders. She barely seemed to notice him, except to put a hand on his chest.

"We've walked all through the night." Ariadne stepped up, covering for Cassia's near collapse. Milo was grateful, he was not very good at talking to people. A lifetime in the arena did not allow for learning any social graces. "Would you allow us to rest and recuperate in your inn?"

"Yes, of course! Excuse my poor manners, my Lady Cassia." She bowed to the noble, and got the barest of nods in response. "I barely recognized you under all the soot and ash." She looked at the two men warily, even the ash was incapable of hiding what they were.

Gladiators. Slaves.

Milo tightened his grip on Cassia, ready to fight anyone who tried to separate the two of them.

"These are my lady's new bodyguards. She had been concerned about her safety after an incident on the road." Ariadne said, clearly having noticed the stare.

"Oh, you all look done in. Come, come! Sit, rest and I'll have food and drink brought to you." She stepped back and waved her arms to direct them inside. The woman bustled, getting her servants to right chairs and wipe ash off the tables faster.

"Just some water, for me." Atticus asked, and moved to a clean table. "All I want is this ash out of my mouth, and a chance to sit, if you please." The woman gestured to the chair. The large man sighed in relief as he sat down and stretched his long legs out to the side.

The woman bowed to Cassia once more, and walked to a door at the back of the room. Cassia, for her part, just stood with a blank expression, Milo still supporting her. He tilted her face, trying to get her to look at him, but her eyes remained unfocused, staring straight past him. He did not know what to do.

His family had been killed, slaughtered by Senator Corvus and his men, but Milo had been able to focus on his anger, his thirst for revenge. Cassia's parents, her whole city, had been destroyed by a mountain. Something which could not be avenged so easily as killing a man.

Ariadne spoke up when the woman returned with water for the four of them. "Is there a room available? I think my lady would like to clean up and lie down." She walked up to the couple, laying a hand on Cassia's shoulder.

It took all Milo had to not pull her away and further into his arms. He did not want to let go of Cassia, whose hand was once again wound around his necklace. The noble girl finally moved, lifting her head to look in Ariadne's eyes. The other girl's expression softened, and she dropped her hand.

"My servants just started cleaning and fixing the vacant rooms, but one of them is done. I can have hot water and clean towels brought to you. Our storeroom was almost entirely untouched by the quake." She beamed at this, perhaps proud that it had stayed upright, Milo did not know.

After snapping her fingers at one of the servants, who scurried off, Mistress Lucilla showed Cassia, Milo and Ariadne through another side door. She led them down a short, neatly decorated, open hallway. Or it would have been neat, if it were not coated in ash and shards of broken pottery swept hastily to the side.

On the way, Cassia had started bearing more of her own weight, until her arm around him seemed more for comfort than support.

"Here we are. The bed is through there," she gestured to the left. "And the bathing chamber is through here." She walked to the right, gesturing towards a shallow recess into the floor, lined with marble. A servant was pouring a bucket of streaming water into the pool. Clean towels were laid on a bench, and Milo led Cassia to sit down there. Ariadne quickly knelt to remove her lady's sandals, and, having soaked a cloth in the warm water, started to clean her feet.

"I'll leave you to bathe, my lady." Mistress Lucilla bowed and left the room, her servant following behind her.

Milo knelt next to Ariadne to look up into Cassia's face. She had lost her vacant stare, which heartened him, but there were new tear tracks on her grime covered cheeks. He looked at the other girl, pleadingly.

"I'll just go inquire about fresh clothes." Ariadne excused herself, handing the cloth to Milo. He took it, and wiped at Cassia's face, erasing the ash, grime and salt from her tears. Her lip started to tremble, and she shut her eyes, more tears rolling down to her chin.

"Hey, hey. Look at me." Milo's hands came up to cup her cheeks, thumbs brushing absently. Cassia blinked rapidly, making brief eye contact before looking to the ceiling, the window, anywhere but him. He shifted a hand to the back of her head, sitting up higher so their faces were level.

"Look only at me." Her eyes met his, and they both stared at the other for one intense moment, then he pulled her into a passionate kiss. It felt even better than the first time, which was tinged with the fear of discovery, and uncertainty in what they were doing. There was no uncertainty in either of them now. They each knew they were nothing without the other. That they would do anything to see each other safe, and whole.

Pulling apart, Milo leant his forehead on hers, staring into her green-gold eyes as peace suffused him for the first time since childhood.

"Milo, I-"

There was a low rumble in the distance. A small tremor rolled through the city, and everything rattled, but nothing fell in the room; anything that might have, had done so the previous day. Cassia's eyes widened briefly in terror, but it stopped after only a moment.

"Cassia! Are you alright?" Ariadne rushed into the room, some fabric thrown over her arm.

The creaking crash of timber and a distressed whinny made them turn their heads in its direction, followed by more sounds of horses crying out.

"Something must have fallen in the stables." Milo spoke, half to himself, as the horses continued to cry in panic. He looked to Cassia, torn between staying near her, and wanting to help the horses.

"Go," she said, "I'll be better knowing you are doing something you were born to do." A small smile teased at the corner of her mouth.

"I'll get Atticus to wait outside the door, just in case you need anything." Relief washed through her eyes at Milo's words and then washed over him at seeing it in her face.

Kissing her forehead as he stood, Milo turned and strode out of the room, back down the hall. He patted Atticus on the shoulder when he reached the main room.

"I would appreciate it if you would look after the girls, my friend. I'm going to see if I can help these idiots with their horses." The large man nodded and stood.

"I am honored, Milo, that you would leave the lady Cassia in my care." He looked down at the Celt, a wry grin on his face and Milo had to resist the urge to punch him.

Turning, he walked out the front door and followed the sounds of horses to the stable yard. The odd thing was, one of the horses sounded familiar, but it could not have been. The villa had been completely destroyed, and the stables along with it.

He picked up his pace and entered the stable yard at a trot. Through the open stable door, Milo saw a large dappled grey stallion pulling at his leads. Two stable hands were trying to keep him from rearing and hurting himself on the fallen joist.

"Veras!" Milo shouted with joy. He trotted up and pulled a lead from the nearest hand. "I know this horse, leave him to me and see to the others." He shooed them away, pulling the stallion out into the yard where there was more room and he was less likely to hurt himself on fallen timber.

Averting his eyes, Milo raised a hand and gently pulled the lead closer. Veras snorted and stamped a bit, but he stopped pulling against the rope. Slowly, they moved closer together until Veras pushed his nose into Milo's open palm. He looked into the horse's eye, and rubbed its nose fondly, a smile breaking out on his face. He snagged one of the passing grooms by the arm.

"Go and tell my fellow bodyguard, Atticus, to bring the Lady Cassia here, when she is ready. There's no rush." The boy nodded and ran off. "And to tell her, there is something to make her happy." He shouted after him. Milo's expression softened at the thought of Cassia's happiness restored, even a little.

Sometime later, as Milo brushed Veras down in his stall, he heard the sweetest voice call out his name in question. He turned to see Atticus looming over the two girls, Cassia at the front looking around curious, but wary. She was clean, and in a fresh dress, though it was less fine than he was used to seeing her in.

"Milo?" She called again. He put down the brush and walked out of the stall. Her head turned at the movement, and their eyes locked.

It was every bit as heady as the moment their eyes had met on the night of the Vinalia feast. Instead of the shy, bashful glances through her eyelashes, Cassia's eyes shone, and a smile lit up her whole face.

"You said there was something happy?" Milo felt a smile pull at the corner of his own mouth.

"My Lady." He gave her a mocking bow, but as he rose he gestured for her to look into the stall. With a curious expression she walked over, and came to stand in front of the stallion there.

"Veras!" She cried and ran to embrace the horse. "How ever did he end up here?" She looked back at Milo. He walked closer, placing a hand on her low back and the other on the stallion's neck.

"According to the grooms, he showed up this morning, covered in ash, fully saddled, but riderless." Ariadne and Atticus had walked up on hearing the noble girl's gleeful cry.

"Now that I think on it, I did see one of the legionaries get on a horse during the second quake yesterday."

"This horse has more luck than all of us combined." Atticus rumbled around a laugh. Cassia leaned back against Milo, and he wrapped his arm around her.

"Well," she said, and her smile made his skin tingle. "I shall take it as a sign that Fate is with us."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: IT'S DONE! IT'S FINALLY DONE! Really, really, completely, done and I never have to work on this ever again! You know, until I feel like editing it... Again...
> 
> I tried to finish before the new year, alas, I forget how demanding my family is over the holidays. After that, I had lost the muse and couldn't remember where I wanted to take it. But now, I am satisfied.
> 
> Hope you liked it! Good? Bad? Somewhere in between? Let me know:)

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you like it! Good? Bad? Somewhere in between? Let me know :)


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